Cops arrest drug peddlers in Lanao Sur’s evacuation site

CAMP
SK PENDATUN, Maguindanao – Police and anti-narcotics agents
arrested in Lanao del Sur five persons involved in illegal drug trade in a town
where thousands of evacuees converged following the Marawi siege, police today
said.

Chief
Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac, police regional director for the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-ARMM) based in Parang, Maguindanao, said the
suspects were arrested by Lanao del Sur police personnel and Saguiaran police
office during a drug buy bust operation in Barangay Pagalamatan at about 1 p.m.
Thursday.
Police
Chief Inspector Tara Leah Cuyco of PRO-ARMM
media office, said the operation led to the arrest of Amenodin H. Gani Osop, 39, married, jobless Nasreen
Malang Pangcoga, 32, single, technician Aiman Solaiman Panmuadan, 21, single and
Abduljabbar H. Yusop Pangcoga, 28, married, both repairman.According
to Sindac, the suspects were included in the drug watch list of Saguiaran town,
a town next to Marawi City and served as host to some 100,000 internally displaced
persons following the Marawi City siege by Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorist
groups.Recovered
from them were 13 plastic sachets containing methamphetamine hydrochloride with
an estimated street value of PHP10,000 PHP6,650 cash money a caliber 22
revolver with five ammunition nine pieces aluminum foil strips five units
mobile phones of different brands and seven disposable lighters. The
suspects are now detained at Saguiaran police office while charges for
violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002
and illegal possession of firearms have been filed against them in a local
court.
Police
investigators believed the suspects were peddling drugs to some of the IDPs.